Monthly Archives: October 2016

Home State Friendship Bracelet Gift Idea

Queen Darlene - October 27, 2016 - $20 or Less, Birthday, Business, Christmas, Graduation, Retirement, Teacher Gifts

For a unique gift, use your home state for a memorable friendship bracelet.

I’ve kept in touch with wonderful girlfriends I met while living out of state and friends who have moved away and live all across the country. Several of us have been exchanging birthday or Christmas gifts for 50+ years!

Our gifts are not expensive. Some are handmade crafts, homemade baked goods or something that reminds us of each other.

Through the years, we’ve exchanged gifts by mail or when friends have returned to visit family in our home state of Oklahoma.

My girlfriends and I all love to wear bracelets. My mission: Find just the right bracelet for each friend.

I came across designs of Oklahoma bracelets. That’s when the thoughtful twist came to mind, and I decided to give each of my girlfriends an Oklahoma bracelet. Continue Reading

Balance Bike Helps Kids Learn to Ride Faster

Princess Diana - October 25, 2016 - Kids

Fear of falling. Scraped knees. Learning how to ride a bicycle isn’t easy.

A new type of bicycle gaining popularity in the United States makes it easier for toddlers to learn how to ride a bicycle faster.

Say hello to balance bikes!

Benefits of Balance Bikes

Balance bikes don’t have pedals. Instead, toddlers are seated so their feet can easily touch the ground which allows them to learn how to balance without the fear of tipping over and falling. Also, since balance bikes are two to three times lighter than regular bicycles, children are less likely to get hurt if they do fall over.

Kids propel themselves forward by walking or running, and they brake using their feet. Really simple.

The best part – balance bikes allow children to skip the frustration of training wheels! Once children have mastered a balance bike, they can quickly move on to traditional pedal bicycles.

Gift Card to New Store in Town

Queen Darlene - October 20, 2016 - $20 or Less, Anniversary, Birthday, Christmas, Experiences, Father's Day, Mother's Day, Teacher Gifts, Thank You, Valentine's Day

It’s fun to experience a new store in your town or city. The excitement and buzz of a grand opening is usually all over the media and the talk of the office.

For my birthday, my boss gave me a gift card to Trader Joe’s that recently opened its first store in Oklahoma City.

What a pleasant surprise! I’ve been to Trader Joe’s in other cities and have waited 26 years for it to open here because I love Trader Joe’s!

When we visit our friends in New Mexico, we always make a stop and purchase what we can haul back home in the car!

I like finding unique, interesting and delicious foods at reasonable prices and can’t wait to see if they still carry my favorite granola nut cereal, a Trader Joe’s specialty.

Celebrate National Hug Your Boss Day

Princess Diana - October 18, 2016 - Business

Even if you like your boss, the thought of physically hugging them might make you cringe. Your boss may not want you hugging them either.

Let me take the awkwardness out of National Hug Your Boss Day that takes place in September each year.

Instead of giving real hugs, give your boss or supervisor Hershey’s Hugs with a handwritten note or card. If you appreciate that your boss makes coming to work enjoyable, you should let him or her know. Make sure to give specifics on reasons why you’re glad to have that person as your boss.

Does your boss trust you to get the work done instead of micro-managing? Does your boss share information openly and candidly? Does your boss take time to appreciate you as a person instead of just an employee? Is your boss supportive of work-life balance?

Monogrammed Duffle Travel Bag

Queen Darlene - October 13, 2016 - Birthday, Business, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for Him, Going Away, Graduation, Kids, Mother's Day, Retirement, Teacher Gifts

Over the years, I have received two duffle bags as gifts. A beautiful girly duffle bag monogrammed with my initials and the other is an animal print personalized with Queen Darlene in rhinestones. I love them both!

A monogrammed duffle travel bag is a perfect gift for overnight trips or a week long vacation.

They are so roomy and hold a ton of stuff! I use them as my go-to bag for quick trips and as a perfect carry-on bag for longer trips.

You can personalize the bags with a person’s name or the name of a college, fraternity, sorority, sports team, cheerleading or dance group, bride or bridemaids.

PAW Patrol Birthday Party Theme

Princess Diana - October 11, 2016 - Kids

My son loves the TV show PAW Patrol, so it’s no surprise he picked it for the theme of his 4th birthday party.

I was excited about his choice because each of the pups on the show have really cool personalities and traits. I had a lot of fun planning his birthday party, especially the obstacle course in the backyard.

I believe the most important part of a birthday party are the games or activities. It’s the fun the kids have doing them that will create the most lasting memories. So that’s where I like to put my focus.

Pup Pup Boogie Song & Dance

One of the PAW Patrol episodes features a song called “Pup Pup Boogie.” It’s catchy and makes everyone want to dance. I printed off the Nickelodeon “Pup Pup Boogie” printable spin-the-wheel game. The spinner can land on different puppy moves the kids can do to the music of “Pup Pup Boogie.” The kids did moves like “tail spin” and “puppy pose” while the “Pup Pup Boogie” song played on a continuous loop.

Adventure Course

Each of the PAW Patrol pups have different specialties so I created an outdoor obstacle course for the kids to do. After completing it, each kid earned a PAW Patrol badge. I called it the Adventure Course, and it featured six stations based on the six main characters in the show.

Jumbo Magnifying Glasses for PreK+

Queen Darlene - October 6, 2016 - Birthday, Christmas, Kids

Little ones are so inquisitive and love to explore. “What’s that?” is a question parents and grandparents hear all the time. Let children satisfy their own curiosity with magnifying glasses.

Magnifying glasses allow kids to see clearly in great detail butterflies, bugs, flowers, leaves, blades of grass, sea shells, rocks and a whole lot more. They will see the world around them like never before!

Pretty much everything under a magnifying glass is much more fascinating don’t you think?

It’s pure wonderment the first time a child sees an object through a magnifying glass. Just watch them place the magnifier over the object and then move it away, over and over again. They will be in awe and probably ask you, “How does that happen?” so be ready with your answer. Continue Reading

Star Wars Little Golden Books for Young Fans

Princess Diana - October 4, 2016 - Kids

I didn’t mean to introduce my son to Star Wars at the age of three – but it happened anyway.

My husband and I were rewatching the original trilogy at home before watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens at the movie theater. We had put our son, Aiden, to bed an hour before, and all was quiet in his room. Or so we thought…

We had just started watching the first movie, Episode IV: A New Hope, when we hear his little feet padding down the hallway towards us. He walks into the living room, sniffs the air, and says, “I smell popcorn.”

Dang it! Caught in the act!